Born into Royalty
by Lust and Chaos
Summary: Hinata must prove herself worthy of the title Queen to be but can she do it in the time that is given to her? Plus can she find the one she loves? HinaNeji, Hinataothers, Sasunaru, kakairu


Born Into Royalty

By Lust and Chaos

Chapter One: Queen-to-be

_Once bitten, twice shy_

Hyuga Hinata bit her tongue as she fell onto her back for the fifth time that morning, her curtain of shoulder-length hair falling out of her ponytail and into her eyes. She and her sister Hanabi had been sparring since dawn, practicing how to control and aim their Byakugan. But, try as she might, the nineteen-year-old Byakugan trainee could not seem to get the upper hand on her younger sister.

Hanabi walked to her, clutching her left arm. Before Hinata fell, she managed to close that portal of chakra. However, Hanabi retaliated and aimed for her heart. Though she missed, Hinata had stumbled and fell.

Hanabi grinned, despite the pain in her arm. "You look terrible. Like death warmed over."

Hinata rolled over and cracked a smile as she stood. Then winced. "You closed my shoulder when you missed my heart." She shook as she stood warily.

"I didn't miss. I didn't want to kill you."

The older Hyuga sighed. The fact that her little sister had the power to accomplish such a feat was incredible in comparison to her own abilities. For all she knew, Hanabi could give the genius a run for his money.

_'Neji' _

She shook her head. That was the last person she wanted to think about.

"How many chakra portals did I close?" Hanabi asked her sister, watching in wonder as Hinata trembled in pain.

"Ah," Hinata counted her portals, biting her lip as she did. "Th-three... you are up three-to-one."

Hanabi took her sister's hand to balance her. "We don't have to do this any more."

A grim smile flashed across Hinata's face. She lightly brushed her sister's hand away. "No, I think I can go one more round. Really." She encouraged, as Hanabi gave her a disbelieving look. It was at that point that Hinata's legs gave out and buckled underneath her. Concentrating on breathing, she pulled herself up again in time for her father to enter the basement training area.

Hiashi paused before speaking, watching his eldest daughter stumble onto her feet by herself. "Hinata, are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Papa." Her voice, which was normally quiet and frail, had a thin clipped undertone. Hiashi found himself halting his speech again before continuing again.

"Girls, you have been training since dawn. It's almost noon. Do you not believe that you should stop?"

"Papa!" Hanabi yelled, her fourteen-year-old form looking out of place with her daddy's girl attitude. "I just told Hinata that we should and she doesn't want to."

Hinata looked up, slightly hunched over, at her father. "I... just thought we should go another round, Papa, for the sake of practice. That's all."

"Well, this will be all the training for the day." Hiashi politely ordered. "As you know, this afternoon, I shall be making my announcement.

The room became eerily quiet as the daughters exchanged glances. They both knew this would be the day one of them would be offered the crown and the opportunity to become Queen of the Hyuga Court.

_'...or the chance Hanabi will become Queen._' Hinata thought to herself. Out of the two of them, it was obvious which of the two were more qualified and Hinata was not humiliated in the least to say it was her little sister. What she was ashamed of was her weakness in front of the family as the eldest daughter of Hyuga.

"Please see to it that you get cleaned up and dressed into the proper attire. Do not forget to wrap your wounds, as blemishes are unsightly at such an important occasion. You have three hours." He excused himself and left the room.

Hanabi rolled her eyes as he walked away. "_'Blemishes are unsightly at such an important occasion.'_" She mimicked her father. "As if those are such good parting words before the biggest announcement of our lives."

Hinata chuckled behind her hand, though her side was throbbing. It was evident that her father was now nervous in front of them. She supposed that it was the announcement that made him so anxious, but his apprehension just made Hinata just as scared about it. While Hanabi kept talking about her father's final words, Hinata kept her mouth shut tightly. She could sense the worry in her sister's voice and realized that talking was only an act to keep her feeling secure. However, if Hinata acted on her deduction, Hanabi would verbally attack her.

Hinata sighed as the two of them trudged toward the stairs. She had a feeling that all of the family, main and branch, was losing their minds over this announcement.

And just that thought caused her to push a certain branch member's name out of her mind for the second time.

Hinata entered her bedroom with a gasp of pain. It was hard holding up an illusion of health in front of her sister, but she had managed. The last thing she wanted to do was worry another family member over her.

Immediately, she was knocked over by a whirlwind of pink and blonde.

"Hinata, you're doubled over." Sakura fussed as she and Ino guided her to her bed. The two were more than her hand-maids, but her best friends. Granted, they fretted more than anyone in the Hyuga family did over Hinata. Both girls had come to work for the Hyuga main house not just because the pay was good, but simply because different members of the house were willing to fight and train with them. Hinata even had a few rumbles with them herself.

Ino pulled out the little medicine jar that Hinata placed her dresser and rubbed some on her shoulder. "How you are able to walk after all these bruises, I'll never know. Why didn't you just go to the infirmary?"

"Eh..." she shook her head. She wasn't about to explain codes of honor within the house, but they seemed to get the picture.

"I just wish I could understand how you're able to just pretend you aren't hurting."

Sakura smirked and placed a strand of short pink hair behind her ear, cockily. Both she and Ino recently had cut their hair out of an argument and a bet that they both lost to each other. "It's her Byakugan birth. She could probably kick your ass if she wanted."

"Tch," Ino folded her arms. "Too bad you can't."

A fire ignited within Sakura's eyes. Hinata almost said that she looked like Lee-san, but she wasn't about to get the pink-haired girl on her case as well.

"Who says I can't?"

"I do!"

"And who do you think you are? A girl whose name sounds suspiciously like a dog!"

"You shouldn't talk with that shiny bald spot that reflects light into my eyes!"

"Guys..."

"Big-foreheaded woman!"

"Ugly, dog girl!"

"Guys..."

"You wanna take this outside, _skinhead_?"

"Bring it on _bitch_!"

"Guys!" Hinata yelled, and then sighed at her action. The two girls stopped bickering and noticed Hinata had keeled over, clutching her side and shoulder, her two worst wounds.

"Gah! Hinata!" Sakura propped her back up and lifted her shirt, allowing Ino to apply medicine and wrap her chest and middle.

"I swear, Sakura." Ino mumbled under her breath. "This is all your fault."

"My fault?" Sakura looked appalled. "What the hell did I do?"

"Live."

Hinata sighed. This would be a long day.

In the end, Sakura and Ino had managed to get Hinata properly medicated, wrapped, and dressed, but it took them the full three hours to do it as something would cause them to start fighting again. The wraps around her chest, shoulder, and ankle (Apparently another injury the two hand-maids had overlooked) were hidden by her clothing. The only thing the two did agree on was that Hinata style her hair into a ponytail to keep her hair away from her injuries, allowing only a few strands in the front to break loose for style.

Just before Hinata entered the main hall, she adjusted her white kimono with blue, watercolor-like patterns out of nervous habit. Behind her, Sakura and Ino faced forward, both wearing kimonos of pink and purple respectively. To the innocent passerby, they would have looked as a dainty as light rain. However, both muttered disrespectful remarks out of the corner of their mouths faster than lightning.

Hinata waited as the two guards opened the door for the two and walked into the Hall. The room was centered on a semi-circle table, fit to hold all of the people currently in the room. The table held name-plates for each of person, with the Hinata's and Hanabi's placed in the center curve. At the back stood two guards at another door, where she guessed her father was currently, going over his speech and final decision. The walls of the room were decorated with people or the main family, dating back their history. She noticed that there was a spot next to her father's portrait that was reserved for the next King and Queen.

Suddenly, Hinata gave a start as she saw Neji walking around the room, taking it in. He scowled as he reached Hiashi's for obvious reasons: He truly believed his own father, Hiazashi, deserved to be in that place. With a sharp twist of his neck, he turned his sharp glare to Hinata, a squall that could rival Byakugan. As startled as she was by his glare, Hinata tried to look passive and only moved her eyes to look for Sakura and Ino. However, the two girls were in the corner, trading insults, leaving Hinata alone with Neji's stare from across the room as her only comfort.

"Hinata-chan!" for the second time that day, she found herself pounced upon, but she didn't mind, only wincing slightly from her injury. She didn't mind, of course. Who could resist Naruto?

'_My former crush._' She smiled.

"Hinata-chan, you look so cute!"

"Thank you, Naruto-kun." She bowed.

Naruto shook his head. "The next Queen of the Hyuga Court should not bow to me, I should bow to her." He smirked, his trademark smile comforting her.

"Naruto-kun, you are one to talk. The child of the fox-spirit wed to the last of the Uchiha clan. Shall I bow lower?" she teased and blushed as he followed suit. "Besides, you shouldn't say such things. Do you want to tempt the evil eye?"

"Byakugan?"

"No."

"Sharingan?"

She had to laugh. Naruto was adorable, after all. "No, bad karma."

Naruto played with a strand of her hair. "You shouldn't worry about such things, Hinata-chan. Just believe that you can do it."

'_If only it were that simple..._' she thought wistfully as Naruto remarked on how long her hair had gotten.

"Naruto." Sasuke, dressed in a kimono of dangerously dark black, approached the pair. "You know you are not allowed to flirt in front of me." He wrapped an arm around Naruto, who promptly dropped Hinata's hair. Sasuke looked at her, no emotion at all on his face, but a smile behind his eyes, the only hint he gave that he was teasing.

"Don't mind Mr. Moody, Hinata-chan." Naruto inclined his head to Sasuke. "He's not worth your time."

But it was, Hinata noticed, worth Naruto's time to discreetly lace his fingers into Sasuke's hand as they walked away to Iruka and Kakashi-sensei, who also seemed to look cutely away from each other as the second couple appeared.

'_That couple, with all of their problems, seem to work everything out, by Sasuke's careful planning and Naruto's dumb luck._' She smiled to herself.

She jumped as she heard the doors in the back room open, the guards holding them as her father entered, only a solitary smile on his face. Before he could stand in front of the room, everyone took their seats at the semi-circle table. Hanabi, dressed in robes of red, sat at her place to the left of Hinata. She gave her sister a tight smile before she took her seat.

All of a sudden, a cold shiver rippled over her. She turned slowly to her right to see Neji taking his seat at her right. Though he was one of the guards she and her sister had around sometimes, she couldn't help but shake the feeling that he hated her. She almost thought he was going to turn to her to say something, but a female voice took his attention away from the eldest female Hyuga. She recognized it as Kaze Tenten from the Wind Family. She and her siblings, Tenmari and Gaara, sat on the other side of Neji and thankfully kept him occupied before her father could speak.

Hiashi cleared his throat. "Everyone, good day. I shall hope you all understand the gravity of the situation here, as an important chapter in the Hyuga family is about to occur."

Though he was a genius in his fighting skill, Hinata could softly hear Neji's snort of disapproval. She prayed that she wouldn't have to listen to Neji's annoyance anymore.

"The two candidates who shall be my successor are my daughters, Hinata and Hanabi. I have watched them carefully with pride as they have become strong, beautiful, and independent."

Hanabi sat up straighter in her chair, but Hinata just looked down at the table. Though she knew Hanabi was going to be Queen, she had to admit that it would have been nice to be praised so highly at least once. She couldn't even raise her head to take in her father's words, as it sounded like he was talking about a completely different person.

"It was one of the hardest decisions I've had to make my whole life, but I do believe that I have made the right one."

Hinata felt Hanabi's leg shake under the table. She placed a hand on it to stop her sister from being so nervous, but Hanabi just cupped her hand and held it in excitement.

"Bear in mind that the one I choose may not see herself fit for the running and can, of course, ask for her sister to take her place."

Hinata bit her lip and got ready to find the words to congratulate her sister as soon as her father announced to the Council the next Queen.

"I have thought about it and chosen. I would like the next Queen to be-"

She took a deep breath and began to turn to Hanabi.

"Hyuga Hinata."

The words died in Hinata's throat as a strangled gasp left her mouth.

Hanabi's hand twitched in Hinata's grasp.

Neji turned to Hinata sharply as he whipped to look at Hinata's profile.

The silence that passed around the room was deafening. If her life were a comedy, this would be the time where everyone would gasp at the same time. But even one gasp would have been better than the endless quiet that rippled throughout the room.

Nothing in the room changed for a few seconds, which stretched on like hours. Hinata, already shy, blushed deeply, not out of pleasure, but out of both surprise for her father's decision and fear from Neji's expression. The deep loathing from two families passed over his face in a flash and he replaced it with a mask of surprised indifference.

When the shock had subsided, a punctuated applause flowed through the audience. Naruto even called out happily from somewhere on her right, though it was quite inappropriate. Sakura and Ino had tears in their eyes, swelling with pride. Everyone around her that she knew and loved stared at her with satisfaction.

Everyone, that is, except Hanabi.

Hinata turned to her sister, who looked somewhat lost in her position. She finally nodded her head and gave a controlled smiled. "Well, do you accept, Hinata?"

"Ah-"Hinata looked back at her father, who was beaming. "What would I have to do, if I became Queen, Papa?" Even her words seemed like someone far away, someone who could not possibly be Hyuga Hinata.

"The Queen-in-training has three goals. First, you must meet your fellow people of the Court, create alliances, and bridge gaps within the family."

Once again, Hinata could swear that she heard Neji snort in disgust. She swallowed back her emotion and listened to her father.

"Second, you must go into a training program so you can learn more of the, ah, 'etiquette' to become a master of Byakugan."

She touched the temples of her face in wonder as she thought of being able to not only control her family's power, but wield it as a master. The though excited her for a moment, that is, until Neji's glare at her profile registered in her mind again.

"Finally, you must choose your betrothed on the full moon nearest your twentieth birthday, where the Council will set it in blood along with the Queen's single reason of marrying. If she cannot produce a sufficient one, she will be forced to abdicate the throne to her sister or to one of the branch families."

Suddenly, she watched as Hanabi and Neji both perked up to roll this last goal over in their thoughts. Hinata's birthday was, unfortunately, on the next full moon in a month and a half and that thought alone caused her to bite her lip.

"On that topic," Hiashi stood straighter. "Let it be known that my choice in Hinata did not spring from her birthday being so near, but for her own capabilities. I do hope she agrees to her offer."

Hinata stayed quiet for a moment, lost in thought. If she took the position, she would be able to prove to the family that she was a worthy candidate for Queen and she was a woman to be respected, just like any other. Then again, she could fail at the job and lose the little respect they had for her just because she was the King's daughter. If she were Queen, Hanabi would probably be upset with her. Was it not expected for her father to choose her little sister over her? Hanabi was stronger, more determined daughter. It would make sense for him to pick her.

And yet, he didn't.

She glanced around the room, noticing her friends egging her on silently. Others looked away, mutely criticizing her and her father. Hanabi was still in semi-shock. Neji was annoyed as usual. She turned away from him the fastest. It was so hard to please him everyone. Her father had given her a lose-lose situation. She couldn't pick an answer that would satisfy everyone.

And Neji's eyes would always be on her like a hawk, angry and fearless. He would stare at her displeased, disapproved, and disgusted as usual. She could never please him or prove her worth.

'_But when are you ever going to prove yourself to yourself?_'

The thought came and she gasped, wondering if Ino had planted that in her head. However, Ino's eyes were still watery, as well as Sakura's, so she didn't think so.

But it was true, wasn't it? When was she going to make herself happy?

Sitting up straighter, she looked her father in the eye. "I accept, Papa."

Another applause rang out, this one of true joyousness. Hanabi still had a shocked look on her face, but Hinata didn't think it was because of her father anymore. Neji had looked away, for once, lost in his thoughts. Naruto waved his hands in the air with Sakura and Ino, yelling and calling. Sasuke had taken to just giving her a small smile, which was enough of an approval from him. More than most could hope for anyway.

Hiashi's face split into a smile. "Thank you, Hinata." He turned away from her. "The Queen also gets her own chambers, where she and her small court will live. She will be able to learn her lessons and training. Haruno Sakura and Yamanaka Ino will be the one to give you your lessons in composure: How to appeal to other cultures and the rest of the family. They will be your ladies-in-waiting."

The girls exchanged looks and grinned. At least she would be able to be with people that she loved.

"The Queen must also learn how to fight and become one of the best at the Byakugan fighting style. In order to learn this, she must have a teacher who is able to teach her as much as he or she can. The teacher must be a master at his or her art of fighting and train the Queen to do the same. I have decided," Hiashi said slowly, "to ask Hyuga Neji to do this task."

The bottom of Hinata's stomach dropped to the floor in shock. She cautiously turned toward him. Thankfully, he was facing forward and did not see her staring.

"Hyuga Neji, do you accept?"

Neji seemed to have an internal battle within him before replying. "This, I do."

"Wonderful. It seems that we have come to the end of the declaration. I shall wish you all good day again and a pleasant trip home." The king stood up and bowed in front of his daughters before leaving.

As soon as Hiashi left, all hell broke loose in the form of whispers and secret pointing.

Hinata got to her feet, wanting to run out of the room as quickly as possible, but someone grabbed her arm before she could. She turned to see her sister, a wan smile on her face.

"Good luck, Hinata. Really." Hanabi assured her when a skeptical look marred Hinata's features.

"I'll be honest with you and say that I was expecting you to be chosen."

Hanobi shook her head. "I don't think so. You are the better candidate. It's easy to see. I'm too reckless and would make too many decisions before I thought it out. You're always thinking about how to make a situation better, Hinata." She smiled again, this one a little more confident. "I have faith in you." She excused herself and walked out the room.

Hinata took a deep breath as she was pounced, yet again, by Naruto, Sakura, and Ino. Sasuke walked, like a normal person, behind them.

"This is such good news!" Ino hugged her again.

Sakura faked a sniffle. "Our little baby is growing up!"

"I told you that you didn't have to worry, Hinata-chan!" He playfully yanked her hair again.

"Well, she won't have to worry, if she is able to do it."

The group turned around to see Tenten walking towards them.

"Tenten, why would you say something like that?" Naruto asked, putting a hand around Hinata's shoulder.

"It's just a simple statement." She shrugged a glint in her eye. "From experience as the Kaze's second daughter, I know what a challenge it is to work within a royal family. I just hope you have it in you to do well."

One of the four of them were about to reply, when someone spoke behind them.

"If she wasn't worthy of gaining the title, she would have never been asked, Tenten."

The group turned to see Neji standing next to Sasuke, his arms crossed over his forest green kimono. There was something about his stature that made him look like a dragon. Perhaps it was the waterfall of long, brown tresses that fell around his back and eyes. Or it could be simply the glare had turned into a frown of resentment as he stared at Tenten.

:"If you dishonor the future Queen, you are dishonoring the future of the Hyuga family. That means, Tenten, that you are disgracing me, do you understand?"

Tenten gasped and made a face. Hinata couldn't tell if she was scared or annoyed at Neji's words. She could say for a fact that if she was a more outgoing person, her mouth would have hit the floor. Like Naruto, for example.

"I-ah..." Tenten sighed. "You're right, Neji. Forgive me." She turned on her heel and walked away.

Hinata had not fully recovered from the scene when Neji turned toward her. "Follow me." He said, grimly.

The future Queen could only nod as Neji walked a few paces in front of her. He led her out of the Hall and up the spiral staircase, and then crossed quite a few corridors away from her room. He stopped suddenly, causing Hinata to bump into his back..

"Sorry," she mumbled.

He turned to her and said nothing on the topic "This wing is dedicated to the Queen-in-training. The room behind me is yours. I will be in the adjoining room here." He pointed behind him. "If you even need my services, I will enter by the door between our rooms. Sakura and Ino will share a room here." He pointed across the hall from his room. "Any other room is up to you. Is that understood, _my lady_?"

Hinata winced at the sarcastic pronunciation of the words 'my lady'. It was clear what he thought of her. "Yes, sir."

"Dinner is in three hours. Dress accordingly to your new position, especially since we have important company. I shall see you there." He turned abruptly and began to walk away.

"Neji-san?" She called in the loud whisper that was her voice. He turned to face her.

"Yes, my lady?"

"Ah..." she stumbled, then tried again. "Why did you stand up for me downstairs? I thought you... I-" her voice died out and faded.

He squared his jaw. "Lady Hinata, I am your sworn servant and guardian. I _had_ to protect you."

Her head jerked up to see him walk away. She sighed, inwardly beating herself up as a fool for even thinking that Neji didn't hate her.

Chapter Owari

Lust: claps Very well done Chaos! Very well done! Now it's my turn! Yay!

Chaos: Lust I only slept for two hours! I hate you!

Lust: Ah I love you too! huggles

Chaos: pushes off

Lust: Aww Chaos you are so mean!

Chaos: I'm not mean I'm tired --zzz

Lust: Um…so I think she went to sleep!

In our next chapter to come: Hinata must prove herself worthy of the title Queen to be! Stay tuned for our next chapter of "Born into Royalty"!

Lust and Chaos out!


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